The present invention relates to an improvement in a game or amusement device particularly used by children for jumping or skipping, and having a ring through which one foot is placed, and whereby the user rotates the ring part of the device about the foot while hopping over an elongated element which extends from the ring.
Devices of the above general type are known, and these include the aforementioned ring at one end, the elongated element, e.g. a rope-like element, hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cconnectorxe2x80x9d extending therefrom, and a wheel, e.g. a counter-wheel, at the opposite end of the connector from the ring. The wheel provides both a weight at the opposite end of the connector so as to provide more efficient swinging of the device about the ankle of the user due to the effects of centrifugal force, and also rotates along the ground or other supporting surface in which the device is used, e.g. about an axis generally concentric with the connector.
Wheels containing light generating means are known for use in other devices as disclosed in the U.S. patents to Hegyi U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,610; Hall U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,185; and Gordon U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,733, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. It is also known to wrap playthings in decorative holographic printed film, noting co-pending Kessler application Ser. No. 09/395,359.
The present invention is directed to an amusement device of the type indicated above wherein the wheel lights up when it is rotated, and more particularly such an amusement device which does not need a battery and instead uses means within the wheel for generating light, e.g. in accordance with one of the aforementioned patents, or some other type of generator.